The Apotherapy project brings together expertise from academic and biotechnology sectors across 7 European countries with the aim to develop and validate novel anti-cancer agents with a wide therapeutic index and minimal side-effects. The focal point of our research is the utilisation of combined approaches which attack the tumour cell at multiple levels, achieving maximal apoptosis while limiting the risk of drug resistance. These approaches involve the efficient delivery of a pro-apoptotic molecule to cancer cells in combination with inhibitors of anti-apoptotic signal transduction pathways.

Specifically, the project will exploit the ability of CD40 ligand, a TNF family member, to inhibit tumor cell survival and proliferation and to engage anti-tumor immune responses. Apotherapy will develop state-of-the-art vehicles for the efficient and targeted delivery of the CD40 ligand to cancer cells and assess their therapeutic impact either alone or in combination with other agents, including novel antagonists of the anti-apoptotic PI3 kinase/Akt pathway which is frequently activated in human tumors.

The Apotherapy project is funded by the European Commission Sixth Framework Program for 3 years with 1,9 million euro and is expected to lead to the development of novel anti-cancer strategies which will be directly applicable to the clinic for the benefit of cancer sufferers.